Automatic valve for applying air brakes



Nov. 27, 1951 R. J. ADAMS 2,576,382

AUTOMATIC VALVE 'FOR APPLYING AIR BRAKES Filed June 28, 1946 2SHEETS-SHEET 1 fig Z IN VEN T OR.

B. l/ fidams torney Nov. 27, 1951 R. J. ADAMS 2,576,332

AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR APPLYING AIR BRAKES Filed June 2a. 1946 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR APPLYING Am- AKESRobert Joseph Adams, Ashland, Ky.

Application June 28, 1946, Serial No. 680,210

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a valve for automatically stopping anengine in the event of an accidental interruption of the regular workingof the same or of other machinery.

Primarily, the valve is intended for use on a locomotive having a ponytruck, whereby the air brakes on a train are immediately applied to stopthe train, whenever the truck is derailed or in any other manner brokenup or put out of commission.

In other words, directly the truck wheels jump the tracks, this valve isdesigned to cause operation of the air brakes to stopthe train andprevent the occurrence of accidents to the train or the passengers. 1

It is a well known fact to those familiar with the art, that to applythe airbrakes in emergency on locomotive and train, there must be asudden and heavy discharge of air pressure, either from the conductorsair valve, from the engineers brake valve on the locomotive, or a brokenair pipe on engine'or train or from a burst air hose, or anything thatwill cause a quick and great reduction of air pressure from the brakepipe. I

A further object of my'invention is to provide a mechanism of acharacter whereby the device may be applied to any locomotive withoutplacing any part of the device above the locomotive decks or walkways.

Still another object of my invention is to make the valve positive inits intent and action. My valve is normally. a machine providing for andpermitting all normal movements of the locomotive frame and thelocomotive pony trucks without the operation of the safety valve.

Accordingly, my safety device must be placed at a safe distance from thelocomotive. trucks, and the valve is therefore placed on .the frame ofthe locomotive as shown in the. drawings and there is no directconnection between the valve and the locomotive truck as that wouldresult in the opening of the valve and cause the application of the airbrakes without the locomotive truck derailing.

It is a fact well known in the art that a mechanism of this nature mustbe placed in such a position that it will permit all normal movements ofthe locomotive frame and the pony truck, and that the device or valvewill not operate by such normal movements, While at the same time thevalve will immediately and fully operate in event the truck wheelsderail. The movements of"the'"truck's and the locomotive frame underordinary circumstances is not so great as to cause the valve to operate,unless the trucks derail for one reason or another.

A great advantage of this valve resides in the fact that when onceinstalled in operating position on a locomotive, it needs no furtherattention or care, because there is no possibility of wear or corrosionin any part thereof. Moreover, this safety valve on the locomotive willonly be actuated by a lever on the truck when directl connected with thevalve stem.

Due to this well-known feature of connection between the engine truckand the frame of the locomotive, it is necessary to allow for aconsiderable vertical and horizontal movement of the engine truckrelatively to the engine frame. 1

A further object. of importance of my invention is to provide amechanism of this character in which the vent or exhaust ports of thevalve are positively closed and locked. The construction of my inventionassures that the more air pressure carried on the locomotive, thestronger the vents or exhaust is locked. When there is no air pressureon the locomotive the vent or exhaust as well as the valve is heldtightl by a spring. The object in keeping these vents and ports closed,is to keep ice, snow and dirt from stopping or restricting the vent 'orexhaust ports. of the air brakes at all times.

In the accompanying drawings one embodiment of the invention isillustrated as applied to a locomotive air brake line.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a 1000- motive and truck withthe automatic safety valve in position;

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section of the valve casting and valveelements assembled therein;

Figure 3 is a view of the forward end of the valve casing with thebonnet and adjacent parts removed; and

Figure 4 is a front view of the valve actuating arm or gate.

Like numerals refer to the same details in the different views andletter A denotes the locomotive frame to which the valve casing I0 issecured as by bolts or the like, which engage in the side lugs II. aportion of the usual pony truck B.

The casing I0 is provided with a chamber 52 for compressed air which isreceived from the pipe line through the hose I3 connected at the inletor front end of the casing 10;

At the rear end of the casing I0 is shown This assures a full emergencyoperation Below frame It is seen a threaded neck l4 adapted to receivethe cap or valve union [5 to hold the metal bonnet IS in place and tocompress the flanged valve seat I! made of rubber, so as to normallyprevent all leakage past the piston head H3. The air pressure in thechamber I2 is, as usual, between '70 and 90 pounds per square inch,which acts directly against the piston head IS. The head is thin and;made slightly concave at; [Ba for better efiect and said head has aneasy fit in its" seat, so that the piston can freely rock in its seat. Anumber of vents lead down from the chamber diameter to the piston seat Hwhichhas smaller diameter.

The bonnet l6 widens outwardly in order to afford an easy exit of thecompressed air from the chamber 42 when the valve is tilted or fully:-opened.

The central valve stem 2| reaches out from the piston head considerablybeyond the face of the bonnet it, which has a flat outer surface againstwhich is held slidable in any direction; theout-- wardly cuppedspring-retaining washer 22 actuated by a compression. spring; 23 betweenthe cupped portion of washer 22 and abutment ring 24 on the stem 2|- Thelocation of the ring 24, is adjustable'in accordanceto the springpressure needed, by a dowel or split pin 25 engaging oneof the severalholes 26 drilled transversely through the stern, 2L This springarrangement alone is able to. holdlthe pistonand stem in closed positionwithout the aid of the air compression in the chamber if the. latter.should faiL,

The cupped washer 22 has. an outside diameter larger than the cupdiameter of the. bonnet in order to normally close the air escapethrough the cup opening of. bonnet 16. The latter-has. a small. centralflange 21 on which the: rubber seat; I1 rides and provides apassage-way: forescaping, compressed air from the chamber 12: to theatmosphere through the. cupped portion: of the bonnet l6, whenever thepiston. is; tilted, that. is when the valve is opened.

In a suitable position on the pony truck: B is firmly secured anactuating, unit 31.. The same is here shown in the form of a gatewith:upright and. transverse;- metal: rods: or tubing SE: cured to the;frame: 30: by IllltSiOT'thGtlikE; These: rods form a rectangular space32 in. the middle of which the end of the: valve stemir is normallylocated.

The valve body or casing is attached with its flanges in any suitablemanner: to the. forward end of thelocomotive frame. The. actuating unit3| being connected to the: truck. frame 30, moves; vertically andhorizontally relative to the: locomotive frame. However, regardless ofthe movements of the truck or locomotive frame, when the actuating unit3| contacts the valve stem of. the. valve, the valve will open wide thevent ports and the sudden and great escape. of compressed air will applythe air brakes in emergency. I

With reference to the valve casing it is so constructed with its flangeor web that it. can be attached in any suitable manner as by bolts orother fastenings to the forward end of the locomotive frame.

A valve mechanism of this character must have an actuating unit 3 I. foroperating my invention.v The movement of the valve stem 2| in any Way ordirection, up-and-down, crossways, in. fact in any direction, will causethe valve. head I8 to open within. the casing 10, which, means thatv thevalve head will Ieanaway from, the valve seat and at the same time thevalve stem washer 22 is caused to slide or shift permitting the escapethrough the bonnet and thereby applying the air brakes. The 'valve headI8 of cast steel, transfers the air pressure of to pounds against therubber valve seat II. There is no chance for movement of the rubbervalve seat as it is held in place first, by the valve spring and bonnetand, second, by: thev union nut [5 which clamps the-valve withinitselfand to the body.

It should be noted that the principle is very simpler Its action opensthe way for the escape of. air by one movement of the valve stemregardless of which way the actuating lever is moved, caused by thederailment of the locomotive truck. Every 'time thevalve stem is movedin any direction the valve head, moves away from the rubber valve seatcausing a reduction in air pressure.

. lt is to. be understood that the invention as herein disclosed may bevaried from the details described andshown without departure from thespirit ofthe subjoinedclaims.

I. claim:

1. In a valve of the character described, an elongated hollowcylindrical body having a fluid inlet atone end and its other endreduced and provided with an axial-bore constituting an outlet for thefluid, an annular flanged member threaded on; said reduced end, a pistonvalve within said bore, a stem extending; from said. pistonvalve'outwardlythroughrthebore, a bonnet encircling the stem and havinga portion inter posed between the, flanged member and the: re-- ducedend of the body, a. gasket interposed between a portion of the bonnetand. the adjacent reduced end of the body, a flange inturned from theinner perimeter: of said gasket and; disposed within and against thewallof said. bore to provide a seat. for said pistonvalve, a valvevwasher carriedv by said sternv and. engaged against the; outer end: ofsaid bonnet for transverse shifting, movement, a collar; on. said stemoutwardly from saidwasher; and a; coir spring encircling said' stem;between said washer: and said collar, said piston valve when closedengaging: said. valve seat" againstwhichit; is held by the: fluid;pressure within; said body and. said: spring, said. piston. valve beingof a diameter relative to said bore: topermit; rocking; movementrelative; to. its; seat and said washer shifting;v across: the engagedend of the bonnet upon the. actuation of said stem to allow thefluidpressure within said body to exhaust; to atmosphere.

2-. The. valve structure. as defined in claim. 1, with. the end of said:bore lying between. the valve. and the: interior of the casing formedwith. a plurality of obliquely extending and gradually deepenin groovesto effectthe rapid escape of the fluid pressure from. said body upon theshifting of said: valves to open positions.

' file of this. patents UN ITED- STATES PATENTS

